By Revd Juilet Stephenson (From Seeds February – March 2026)
This issue’s guest reflection comes from the Revd Juliet Stephenson, Rector of our Episcopal partner congregation at St Columba’s by the Castle since last summer.
I came up from the south coast, where I was leading a church community through a transition phase. While there, I introduced membership of Inclusive Church and introduced a church community network called ‘Open Table’.
To be welcomed into a covenant with ecumenical partners who all share the same values, vision and commitment to collaborative working is totally refreshing.
As The Local Church (TLC), we celebrated together the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at St Columba’s on 18 January. To seek our similarities, rather than highlighting difference, is what Christian unity IS at its heart. It’s no surprise that I found this service so wonderful, for you have enabled this sort of thing to come very easily by your commitment as TLC communities. So, thank you!
What makes this for me so much more poignant is that ecumenism, when it is done with true communion, is so easy to achieve. I’ve been ordained for almost 22 years and have had wonderful relationships in all my communities with other Christian denominations. But sadly, within my former denomination, the Church of England, clergy and congregations living side by side bore so much difference that an outsider looking in had difficulty seeing the mission of God as a coherent message. Important issues that impact the lives of good, faithful people (lay and ordained) are ignored, dismissed and devalued. Fewer and fewer folk can easily find a place at God’s table.
Hence my deep joy at being welcomed to join the Scottish Episcopal Church and as the Rector of a wonderful church, topped off with being one of the common ministers within TLC.
Thank you for your welcome, your support, your heart for the gospel message of inclusion and the willingness to do things as ‘one’.
It would be amazing to get to the place where we see the fluidity of church as being ‘just the place my bum hits the pew’ – which pew (or chair) doesn’t matter, as long as week by week, Sunday by Sunday, we move ourselves into a place where we feel welcome and comfortable, and know we will grow in faith and devotion to Christ.
So, with that in mind, and our bums ready to sit on one another’s pews and seats, beanbags and floors – here’s to 2026!
Whatever we can do as one!
However we can support one another’s causes!
Wherever we land to worship! Let’s make sure that we do it with a heart for love, a heart of Christ and a heart for our family of fellow Christians.
With so much love and friendship for you all,
Juliet